


The Crimson Moon's Fairy Tale

by AoNo



Series: Force of Will Lore [1]
Category: Force of Will (Card Game)
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tales, Force of Will, FowTCG, Grimm cluster, Lore retelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 10:22:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11228973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoNo/pseuds/AoNo
Summary: Prince Grimm Glynn has always loved Fairy Tales; even as a child he felt a strong bond with their stories. It isn't until he hears a prophecy of the rise of a crimson moon that he learns there is something far greater at play. Thanks to Red Riding Hood, Grimm is awakened to his powers as a Ruler and is told he can return hope to the land. Along the way he encounters new comrades, each one fighting to defeat despair. But will their Will of Hope be enough to conquer the Will of Despair?The story of good and evil has begun once more. Magic both new and ancient shall surface and clash in an epic war. Only one side will be victorious; but will the hope of the Light Palace be enough to overcome that of the nightmares?





	1. Grimm's Awakening

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Force of Will Lore](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/300567) by Force of Will co.. 



> The following is a recounting of the events that take place in Force of Will TCG's lore during the Grimm Cluster. This part of the lore in particular was written before they gained a native English writer so the writing is a bit bare and difficult to follow. I'm rewriting it in hopes that I can add some depth to the story as I greatly enjoy it.
> 
> The lore here may not be completely accurate as it is difficult to understand at times, as well as it being very short. CMF in particular makes up maybe three pages, though I was able to rewrite it to about 44, which is why it's broken into two chapters. The story overall will cover all four sets of the Grimm Cluster from CMF to MOA, each being a chapter or two long. Whether or not I'll cover the Alice Cluster and Lapis Cluster will depend on the reception of this story, mainly because those two clusters are much better written and don't really need rewriting.
> 
> If you like it, please make sure to let me know! Even just a kudos is more than enough!

Young Grimm Glynn stretched with a yawn, his ornate chair tipping back as he extended his long legs. He then sighed and placed his chin lazily on the palm of his gloved hand, his gaze shifting out the window of the study. His instructor had given him a history passage to study while he fetched his younger sister, but the prince could only study the familiar text so much before growing bored. 

It was the story of the Great Old Ones who rose against humanity when they grew too powerful after harnessing the power of the Magic Stones. The tale was from a thousand years ago, when an immortal princess fought for the people and used the power of six Sealing Stones to seal away the great creatures. It was a fantastical story, but one that held nothing but truth. Proof lay in the Sealing Stones that remained in the world. One such stone was guarded within the Light Palace and was one of the reason’s for the kingdom’s growing prosperity. More evidence resided in the Rulers; people capable of wielding the power of Will that came from the Magic Stones. The ability to harness power from hope and despair; it was an intriguing ability that he often wished he possessed. 

Grimm looked down at his book again, eyes wandering over the bland words. He frowned, shifting his attention to the grand book shelves that lined the walls. He knew almost every book tucked neatly on the wooden shelving. At least, the ones that interested him; namely the fairy tales. They were wonderous stories of friendship and adventure, something he secretly longed for. He didn’t know how many times he had read them, but somehow he never grew tired of them. 

He glanced at the door, waiting a moment to see if Aesop would return at that very moment. A few heartbeats passed, and that was good enough for the prince.

Rising carefully from his chair, as to not make a sound, he bound over to the numerous books and hastily grabbed an armful. Creeping over to the door, he opened it a crack and peeked out. Satisfied at the empty hallway, he stepped out and silently jogged down the corridor. His shoes glided across the marble floor expertly, this not being the first time he snuck out of the palace.

It wasn’t long before he got out through a side door. He made sure to shut it behind him before darting through the courtyard. Grimm looked up to the clear sky as he moved, a smile plastered on his face. It was a perfect day to read beneath a tree and take a nap.

He was able to sneak his way out of the palace grounds, fairly easily he mused. Grimm never bothered with a disguise whenever he went into town; even if he needed one his appearance was much too obvious to hide. If his hair wasn’t a dead giveaway, with one half raven black and the other an egg white, then his heterochromia was an easy telling. It was a trait that seemed to pass through his family, eyes of a blue and a pink, almost red hue. It wasn’t something he minded in the slightest; after all he felt no need to hide his identity. The active king was a carefree one, with a large and kind heart. The people loved the royal family, and they loved their people in return.

After passing through the various streets and giving a polite hello to the passer-bys, he found his favourite reading tree. It was a large apple tree located in a park to the west of the town. It always seemed to bear fruit, and the large leaves provided the perfect amount of shade from the midday sun. 

The prince sat down in the soft grass, careful to not dirty his colourful clothing, before cracking open a book and immediately diving in.

Eventually he found himself opening his eyes, which he hadn’t even realised he had closed, to see the sky stained orange and red. Grimm chuckled to himself and yawned. What an unexpectedly pleasant nap, he thought to himself.

He stretched his stiff limbs before rising to his feet while brushing off the grass blades from his coat. He honestly hadn’t meant to spend more than an hour or two lounging about, but it was too late to regret it now. The prince would just have to deal with the inevitable scolding Aesop surely had in store. 

Not quite wanting that encounter so soon after such a peaceful nap, he decided to take the long route back. He walked through the town with a gentle smile on his face. The townspeople greeted him as they walked by, and he happily returned each friendly hello. 

When he reached the plaza, however, the mood seemed to shift. He could hear hushed whispers and mothers dragging away their curious children from the large fountain. Intrigued, Grimm made his way over to the thinning crowd. In the center was a young woman with long, silvery blue hair. She wore intricate clothing, a similar garb to that of a priestess, with a veil covering most of her face. 

“Please, heed my words! The magic of the stones has fallen into the hands of those that wish only for despair. Soon a crimson moon will rise, and with it a great calamity will befall the land!” The girl cried out, desperation clinging to every word. Her voice sounded hoarse, as if her pleas had filled the air for quite some time. 

Grimm looked around to the people, curious as to why none seemed to believe her passionate words. Instead they whispered harshly, laying claim that the girl was simply mad. The young man cringed, almost embarrassed that he thought what she said could hold some truth. He shook it off, his curiosity overcoming his worry. He stepped forward, wanting to question the girl about her prophecy.

“Young master, there you are!” The prince quickly turned behind him to see his instructor bounding towards him.

He smiled sheepishly, “Oh, hey Aesop!” 

As the older man approached, Grimm could see he was fuming. He laughed nervously.

“Young master,” his calm tone masked his irritation quite well, Grimm noted, “where have you been? I was finally able to get Lady Lumia out of bed only to find you had wandered off.”

“Ahah, sorry Aesop, but I can only study the same passage over and over until I grow bored…” He trailed off, realising how poor of an excuse that was. 

Aesop obviously agreed with his internal thoughts, the man’s hands resting on his hips impatiently, “And yet you can read your fairy tales countless times with the same glee.” His eyes darted to the books clutched in Grimm’s arms. The scholar waited for a response. When he did not receive one, he huffed and turned to leave. “Come my lord, it’s getting late, and you should get inside before the cool air makes you ill.”

Grimm chuckled at the over worrying of his tutor. It was a trait most would find annoying, yet the prince found endearing. He followed obediently, though not without casting a glance back to the girl in blue. Despite the cloth covering her eyes, he could have sworn her gaze met his. For a moment, just a moment, it felt as if time slowed; as if something greater than he could have imagine had just set its course.

“Why does noone seem to believe her?” The words escaped his lips before he registered the thought. He had spoken so softly, as if in a trance.

Aesop, however, hadn’t seemed to notice the prince’s strange tone and spoke sharply, “The priestess is jealous of the power of the Sealing Stones. She’s trying to scare the people so that the king will abandon its power.”

“But...what if she speaks the truth?” Again he spoke without thought, as if the words were not said by him. What he said was not a lie, however. The thought of a crimson coloured moon bringing disaster sounded like the start of a fairy tale. Especially considering a moon had not hung in the sky for centuries.

Though the girl had walked away, Grimm’s eyes had not shifted. Not until he bumped into the back of his mentor, that is. Aesop had stopped, and turned to look the young prince in the eyes. He studied his student’s face, only to find that his curiosity was serious and not fueled by childish wonder. 

Again the scholar sighed, this time in defeat. Grimm may have been lazy and far too carefree for one that was to rule a kingdom, but he was also quite wise for one his age. Despite even the King dismissing the priestess’ claims as nothing more than insane ramblings, Aesop couldn’t help but wonder if Grimm’s intuition was correct.

He turned back and continued walking toward the palace, “If you’re truly concerned, you should speak with your father. If the King will listen to anyone, it would be you and Lady Lumia.”

Grimm simply hummed in response, suddenly lost in thought. The King may have a kind heart, but he was also stubborn to a fault, a trait both royal children had inherited. The problem wouldn’t be whether the prince could convince his father; the trouble would be if he could change his mind.

The remainder of the walk back was in silence, both parties too lost in thought for conversation. By the time they reached the Light Palace, a thick cloud coverage consumed the already darkened night sky. Thankfully the ornate lamps had been lit, lighting the way to the front gates.

After wishing one another a pleasant night, Grimm made for his room. He would discuss the topic with his father in the morning, he decided. It was far too late to bring up such a conversation, and he certainly wouldn’t get anywhere doing so now. 

It was then that Grimm realised just how quiet the corridor was. His footsteps echoed down the hall despite how softly he moved. The dim lanterns only barely lit the way, their flickering light reflecting on the floor, turning the usually white tiles a dark orange. This was far from the first time he had walked down this very hallway in the dark; numerous times had he lost track of time with his books in the library. But this time, for a reason he could not place, even the atmosphere felt dark and carried an eerie tone.

The clouds overhead shifted and with it everything became bathed in a strange light. The prince’s eyes widened and fear painfully struck his chest. Instead of the silvery light the stars usually granted, the palace was suddenly consumed in a sinister red.

Grimm didn’t make a sound. Didn’t breath. His head slowly turned toward the grand window. The clouds had parted, revealing an orb that shone with a brilliant crimson glow. Despite having only ever read about it in fairy tales, he knew that it could be nothing more than the moon from the priestess’ desperate warning. 

“She was right…” The words came softly, inaudible even if another person had been near. 

His body went rigid as a scream pierced the silence.

The prince had never been one for combat. In fact, any physical activity proved difficult for him. It was for that very reason that even he was shocked at his sudden burst of speed. 

He raced down the corridor, his hefty cloak flapping wildly behind him from his frantic movement. Something was direly wrong, and in no way would the prince be able to help. But his feet carried him anyway, desperation and fear fueling his muscles.

He turned a corner and froze breathlessly. Before him was a sight straight out of a horror novel. 

A strange, purplish creature loomed over what Grimm could only guess to be the remains of a soldier. It’s large, blood soaked fangs glistened in the moonlight as it grinned menacingly over its prey. Claws clicked on the marble floor as it repositioned its slender, arched body. It’s bat-like wings twitched and powerful hind legs tensed. It took a moment for the prince to register that the monster had spotted him and was aiming to attack.

Grimm desperately wanted to run, or even cry for help. But his legs refused to move and his breath remained caught in his throat. Fatigue already gripped his limbs and his lungs begged for the oxygen that fear prevented him from inhaling.

Instead the only thing he was able to do as the creature lunged was flinch and instinctively shut his eyes. 

Rather than feeling the impact of hooked claws, he felt a rush of air and heard the sound of frantic footsteps. He opened his eyes in time to see a curtain of familiar black and white hair. Before he could say a word, the young girl’s sword was thrust into the monster’s body once. Twice. The third finally ending its life.

With a small ‘phew’ the girl stood up straight and flicked the blood off her blade. She turned around and, despite the situation, smirked mischievously, “Oh brother, what would you do without me?”

Grimm was silent for a moment before releasing a chuckle. Whether it was from Lumia’s strange sense of humour or his near brush of death, he didn’t know. Either way, he was alive, as was she. That was when realisation hit.

“Wh-where’s father?” He flinched sheepishly at his sister’s glare and blushed, “And, um, thank you.”

Lumia sighed and tutted teasingly. Her face suddenly hardened and her composure shifted completely, “I’m not sure. I was just on my way to find you and father. It’s a good thing I found you first, eh?” She winked with the last comment, her childish demeanor returning. 

The prince couldn’t help but smile at that. He may have been her older brother, but she had always been the stronger of the two. What he had in intelligence and wisdom, she had in confidence and strength. The two could not have been more dissimilar, but it was obvious beyond appearance that they had a close sibling bond.

Grimm turned his attention back to the creature of whom was lying dead in a pool of sickish looking blood. Just behind it was the mangled corpse of the soldier from before, but he couldn’t bear to look. His stomach was not strong enough. Instead he forced himself to speak, but was unable to hide the fear shaking his voice, “What...was that thing?”

His sister’s eyes followed his. Her grip on the hilt of her rapier tightened and she gritted her teeth, “I don’t know. As soon as the clouds parted and revealed that… thing in the sky, the creatures flew through the windows and began attacking.”

The two siblings stood there for a moment, trying desperately to piece together what was happening. They could hear the distant sound of combat throughout the palace. 

Lumia then looked up to her brother, brows creased with determination, “Let’s go find father. I know he’s an expert swordsman but...I’m still worried.” 

Grimm nodded in wordless agreement. The few moments of calm had given him back control over his legs. He was still tired from his sprint, but the fatigue was manageable. 

They started to make their way down the corridor before being cut off by the sudden crash of a window. Another of the hellish creatures had broke through and snarled with a bloodthirsty smile. 

Instinctively Lumia rushed in front and held her sword in position to strike, “I won’t let you harm my brother, you monster!”

The creature tensed, but did not move. The inaction was puzzling for a moment until Grimm realised what it meant. 

“Lumia get down!” Despite shouting the command, he grabbed his sister and brought her down to the floor with him before she could react. They hit the floor with an audible thud as a second creature swooped over where their heads had just been. 

Both of them stared wide-eyed, completely defenseless on the floor. Grimm suddenly realised that while he saved them in the moment, they were still in just as much danger now with Lumia unable to counter. Instead, Grimm lifted himself onto his hands and knees and shielded his sister with his body. He wanted to give a command as she had, but words wouldn’t come to him. Instead kept his ground, his body rigid. 

“My my, looks like you’re in a bit of trouble, no lie~” 

A new voice suddenly broke the tension. The siblings look up to see a girl standing in the broken window, her form silhouetted against the crimson moon. 

The creatures growled at the newcomer, unhappy that their easy hunt had been interrupted. They made to lunge at the girl, but she was gone in an instant. As suddenly as she vanished, she appeared in front of Grimm and Lumia. She turned her head and looked to them with playful glee, “Don’t worry Grimm, I’m here to save you, not a lie!”

The mention of his name made the prince flinch in surprise. He wanted to question it, but the girl had not forgotten about the fight at hand. Again she moved with blinding speed and slashed into one of the monsters with what Grimm assumed to be claws. The second one was quickly dispatched as well before it could even react to the slaughter of the first.

With the threat gone, the strange girl finally stood still long enough for him to get a good look.

Instantly, the prince felt a strange sense of familiarity. The girl was relatively short with black, wispy hair messily peaking out from under a red hood. She wore a bright red and white dress adorned by a large red bow on her chest with boots to match. Strangely enough, large, wolf-like ears protruded from the top of her head and a large, bushy tail swayed from under her dress. But what gave Grimm a sense of nostalgia was the red cape that hung from her shoulders.

“It can’t be…you’re-Ah!” 

“Who the heck are you?” Grimm had been cut off by Lumia jumping to her feet, challenging the new girl while shoving her brother out of the way. 

The prince quickly regained his balance and got up into a crouch, grabbing her arm with a shout, “Wait, Lumia stop! She’s not our enemy.”

Lumia looked back, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “Brother, have you gone mad? Look at her!” She twisted her back and flicked out an accusing finger, “Everything about her screams suspicious!” The strange girl only responded with a giggle.

Grimm had to admit, the girl was strange. Even still, he shook his head and pleaded, “I know she’s not a villain, because I know who she is!”

“Wait, what? How?” Lumia asked, now thoroughly confused. 

He looked over to the girl in red calmly as he picked himself off the floor, trying desperately to hide his excitement as he hoped his hunch was right, “You’re Little Red Riding Hood, aren’t you.”

The red girl’s grin broadened, “Yessir, that’s me!” She exclaimed with a wink.

“Wait wait, hold on,” Lumia waved her free hand before turning back to her brother, dumbfounded, “you’re telling me that girl is a character from one of those fairy tales you read?” The princess was practically shouting in disbelief. 

“Er, well, yes?” The young man admittedly was having a hard time wrapping his head around it as well. Just earlier that day he had fallen asleep beneath a tree reading the very story this girl originated from. He had oft dreamed of his beloved fairy tales coming to life and befriending the characters within. Being an ill struck child, he had rarely left the palace grounds. His mother had read he and Lumia fairy tales, their stories taking him on adventures without having to leave the safety of his quarters. He always felt a strong connection to the stories, so much so that even when hearing one for the first time, he would feel as if he had read it a hundred times before. Back then he never thought much of it. But now, with Red Riding Hood herself standing before him, he started to believe there was more to it.

Grimm cleared his throat and spoke with timid confidence, “H-how did you get here? Why are you here?” 

The girl in red giggled again, “Why, I’m here to tell you that you are the one that can save the kingdom, Grimm! And that’s not a lie~” 

Red Riding Hood then stepped forward, reaching behind her as she did so. Lumia tensed her grip on her sword, slowly raising the blade and readying herself to strike. Her brother placed a calming hand on her shoulder and watched the wolf girl wordlessly.

She finally brought out her hands and held up an ornate book. It was strange, the likes of which Grimm had never seen before. The cover appeared to be an aged black leather with red patterns stained into the material. Its surface was embroidered with a dark gold that shone faintly in the dim red light. Even while shut it was obvious the pages were worn and used, stained yellow with age. 

Raising the book closer, the girl in red smiled sincerely, “You, Prince Grimm, are the only one that can return hope to the land.”

Grimm stared at the book, hardly registering her claim. He was finally able to find the words to respond, albeit he spoke them with breathless wonder, “I can...return the hope?...How?” 

Again Little Red smiled, “Why, with the power of Will of course! Your bond is strong with us fairy tales, so much so that you can use us with the power of hope!”

It was Lumia’s turn to speak as she shifted herself between the two, “Just what are you talking about? The only people capable of using the power of Will are Rulers, and my brother has never used magic in his life!” Again Lumia raised her sword, the tip hovering just inches from the girl’s face. “I won’t allow you to use my brother until you explain just what is going on!”

“Lady Lumia, Sir Grimm!” A familiar voice called from down the hall. All three looked over to its source to see Aesop running towards them. He looked disheveled, more so than usual, and utterly breathless, though otherwise fairly unharmed. 

It took him a moment to reach them, and a moment more to catch his breath enough to speak, “I...have found...you two...thank goodness!” 

Grimm couldn’t help but smirk at his tutor. He had always been a stressed odd ball, even during regular lessons. 

Lumia reached forward with concern, “Um, hey Aesop, you alright?”

The elderly man responded by lifting his hand, asking for a moment more to breathe more precious oxygen. With a final huff, he stood up straight, composing himself.

“Worry not for me, Lady Lumia. We were able to ensure the King’s safety and so I just had to find the two of you as well.” Aesop sighed and brought his hand to his chest, his voice filled with relief, “I’m just glad the two of you are safe.”

The man seemed content until his gaze fell upon Red Riding Hood. It was obvious he had not seen her as he visibly jumped with a yelp at seeing the wolf girl. He quickly straightened himself and coughed before speaking, his voice shaking with nerves, “A-and who m-might you be?”  
With a seemingly ever present smile, the girl chirped, “I am Little Red Riding Hood of course, tee-hee!” 

“No,” Lumia shouted again, “you’re a lying little girl that’s trying to take my brother away!” 

“Lumia, please,” Grimm raised a calming hand, attempting to soothe his sister, to no avail.

Instead she whipped around and jabbed her finger into his chest, “Don’t you ‘Lumia please’ me, brother! First a strange red orb thing appears in the sky, then we’re attacked by weird vampire creatures, and now some weird wolf girl from a book is saying you can save the kingdom? And you want me to calm down?” Her voice grew louder with every point, her finger roughly poking him as she did so, causing the prince to wince. 

“Hey, I ain’t no liar missy!” Red retorted with an unfaltering expression. “Grimm really can use the hope of the fairy tales to save everyone, honest.”

Once again Lumia spun around to face the girl angrily, “I told you, Grimm isn’t a Ruler, he can’t use magic!”

“Ah, miss Lumia, what she says may indeed old some truth,” Aesop intervened calmly.

Both Grimm and Lumia turned to him with confused expressions, “Huh?”

“Well,” Aesop began thoughtfully, “Not all Rulers are born as such. There are many cases where a Ruler’s power is unlocked through the contact of a magical item or stone.”

“Well duh!” Red interrupted before he could explain more. The wolf girl bounded up to Grimm before Lumia could stop her, book still in hand. “Why do you think I brought out this grimoire?” 

Once again she held it up to the prince, this time within his reach. For a moment, he simply stared at the dusty book. It seemed to carry a presence of some kind. It felt similar to the feeling he had whenever he read his fairy tales, as if the characters were right there beside him. The air around the book seemed to crackle with energy, and as he rose his hand a strange tingle numbed his finger tips. He thought he heard a voice call him, his sister perhaps, but he paid it no heed. His mind was entranced, his hand slowly reaching forward until his fingers brushed the book’s surface.

All at once he felt a gust of power, the impact causing him to gasp. His body felt as though it was struck by lightning, his very being suddenly charged with energy. It carried no pain, but rather the opposite. He felt empowered, filled with a strong sense of courage and bravery, as if he could take on all the evil in the world.

The sense of power flowed out of him and back into the book, but traces of the strange energy remained.

“Is this...magic?” His voice came out breathlessly. His eyes slowly raised from the book, now clutched in his hands. Both Lumia and Aesop stared at him in wordless shock. His sister had visibly calmed, her breath caught in her throat. Little Red, however, continued to hold her smile.

The girl looked back to the princess and stuck out her tongue teasingly, “See, I wasn’t lying!” She turned back to the prince with a toothy grin, “Now we can go and defeat Dracula!”

Breaking from her trance with a shake of her head, Lumia retorted, her voice breaking with shock, “Wait, Dracula? Who the heck is Dracula?”

Grimm frowned and answered, his voice still quiet, “I’ve read a story about him. He’s the lord of vampires...” The prince’s brows furrowed further at his own statement. Something about it felt...strange. 

Any further thought was broken by Little Red hopping up and exclaiming, “That’s right! Boy, Grimm, you sure are smart. Now, we gotta leave quickly, or the whole kingdom will fall to his nightmares, no lie!”

“W-wait a sec!” Lumia held out her hand, her actions no longer fueled by anger, but rather concern. “Grimm can’t go alone! He only just got magic, and he’s never even fought before.”

The girl in red giggled and waved a hand, “Psht, alone? You silly, he’s got me to back him up, no lie!” She then brandished her large, clawed hands, as if to assert her point.

Lumia shook her head, “No way am I entrusting you with my brother. I’m coming too!”

At her claim, Aesop intervened, “Lady Lumia I know you’re a skilled swordswoman, but the coming battle will be that of great magic and peril. I’m afraid I cannot allow you to go; it’s simply far too dangerous for one that’s not a Ruler. Especially when you are still so young.” It was obvious Aesop found it difficult to say such words to the girl. Though it was true she was very talented with her blade, she was still only fourteen, and to put her in such danger without the aid of magic was too much to bear.

She looked as if she wanted to argue, but stopped herself. Slowly, she returned her sword to its sheath. Her hand lingered on the hilt, her grip trembling with frustration. 

Grimm was about to give a comforting hand before his sister suddenly erupted. With a shout she held up a fist to the wolf girl, her face twisting with what Grimm could only make out as extreme determination, “Fine! But you had better return my brother in one piece or I’ll find my own magic book, hunt you down, and beat you with it!” She shouted, her voice cracking with emotion. She turned to Grimm, her eyes welling with tears, “And you’d better come back brother...or else I’ll…I’ll-”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence, her body trembling too much. Grimm smiled and embrace his emotional sister. He rested his face on the top of her head, his hand petting her hair soothingly, “Don’t worry, I’ll come back to you.”

“Promise?” Her voice came out weakly, muffled from Grimm’s cloak.

He didn’t respond right away. Part of him desperately wanted to promise her his safe return; to assure her everything would be fine in the end and they could continue their happy lives. But another part of him, deep down, sneered at him, telling him he was weak and would never make it passed the palace grounds.

Grimm sighed through his nose and hugged his sister tighter, “I promise, I’ll do my best to return safely.”

Lumia obviously wasn’t satisfied with his response, but knew it would be the best she’d receive. She gripped him tighter, holding their embrace for just a moment longer, before reluctantly releasing him. 

He smiled down at her, his hands sitting lightly on her shoulders, “I’m trusting you with father, alright?”

At that she returned his smile and quickly brushed away her tears. She brought up her hands and clenched them into fists, pumping them confidently, “You got it!”

The prince chuckled at her enthusiasm, then turned his attention to his tutor, “And I can trust you to take care of Lumia, yes?”

Overcome with emotion, in almost a comical way Grimm mused, Aesop saluted, responding after a harsh sniffle, “You can trust in me, my prince!”

Grimm smiled and nodded. His face hardened with determination as he turned back to the still grinning girl, “Alright, let’s go.”

The girl rose a fist and beamed, “Oh finally!”

With a final farewell, the four separated their ways. Grimm and the wolf girl raced down the halls and towards the exit. The prince decided it be best to leave through the side door, not wanting to attract attention to allow them a swift escape. While he desperately wanted to assist the soldiers, remaining much longer may cause more harm than good; especially if he were to meet his demise before even leaving the palace grounds.

They were able to get outside without incident. The usually green fields of the courtyard were bathed in the sinister crimson light of the hanging moon. Grimm had to wonder if the sun would even rise, despite the night only just beginning. 

The two snuck through the greenery and made way for the arch leading out to the west side of town. The sound of clashing steel filled the air, making it difficult for the prince to keep moving. He knew it was the smart thing to do, but guilt weighed heavily in the pit of his stomach.

Eventually they reached town, and much to Grimm’s dismay the chaos did not lessen. Soldiers fought off the creatures in the streets as the innocent townspeople ran for their lives. The urge to help grew until it physically hurt him to continue moving forward.

A high pitched scream made him stop in his tracks. He twisted around to see a small group of children in a desperate huddle. One of the demonic creatures loomed over them, dragging its tongue over fangs far too large for its twisted mouth.

Grimm gritted his teeth before running towards them. He held himself back this far, but he would not allow children to die so he could escape unscathed. 

“Stay away from those children!” The words came out in a furious shout. 

The children looked over to him with a start. One of them immediately recognized him and exclaimed with tears in their eyes, “I-it’s prince Grimm!” 

Grimm stopped, the demon’s attention now solely on him. It was only then that he realised he only received the ability to fight just moments before, and didn’t know how to use said power. He pulled out the grimoire anyway and focused. If he remained calm, perhaps the magic would come to him...somehow.

He remembered Little Red telling him of his power; how he had the ability to use the hope of his fairy tales to fight the darkness. He closed his eyes and focused on remembering a fairy tale; any fairy tale that could help. 

He then recalled the fairy tale that always made him feel brave. The one that taught him that you’re never too young, never too small, to fight back. The words suddenly came to him. His eyes snapped open and his hand aggressively waved over the blue glow spitting out from the flipping pages of the book in his grip, “Come to my side and conquer the darkness before me; Peter Pan and Tinkerbell!”

The pages turned wildly in response, the glow growing brighter until it was almost blinding. A stream of white light swirled around him, carrying various words and letters that flew by too fast to distinguish. 

From the light burst forth two bodies; one a young boy, and the other a girl no larger than his open palm. It took Grimm a moment to realise that they were the characters he had just summoned. Both Peter Pan and Tinkerbell stood before him, ready to battle.

It only took a second for Grimm to break from his shock. He rose his hand and yelled a command, “Peter, Tinkerbell, vanquish the nightmare!”

“You got it Grimm!” Peter responded unexpectedly, having turned to shoot a wink before charging forward. His feet glided across the tiled ground as he landed a powerful kick, sending the creature flying skyward. 

“I’ll finish him off!” Tinkerbell lept from Peter’s shoulder and hovered in the air. She rose her tiny arms, collecting a mass of light in her palms before firing the the blinding magic. It hit directly, causing the monster to cry out before bursting in a shimmer of sparkling dust.

The tiny girl fluttered down with a giggle, her and the boy sharing a small high five with a laugh.

Grimm couldn’t help but simply stand there, gawking. He knew Little Red had told him his power derived from that of the fairy tales, but never in his life did he imagine he could breath life into the characters he loved.

“Prince Grimm, look out!” 

He snapped out of his daze at Tinkerbell’s outburst just in time to turn and see the oncoming attack from another creature. 

Before the extended claws could reach their intended prey, a red blur shot in from the side and kicked the creature away with an audible ‘crack’. 

Red Riding Hood brushed herself off before grinning up to Grimm, “Heheh, you’re not very good at fighting, are you?”

Again the prince was left speechless. He then sighed in defeat, “Well, I only became capable of combat a few moments prior to this.”

“Heheh, awe, that’s no excuse~” The girl winked, then turned around and skipped away, speaking with a sing-song voice, “Come on then, time to go!”

Grimm watched her for a moment before turning back to check on the children. He smiled in relief to see that a couple of soldiers had noticed them and came to their aid. One of them spotted the prince and waved with assurance.

He nodded in gratitude before running after Little Red. Quickly catching up with her, they made haste for the exit. Even after leaving through the small side gate they continued running.

Eventually Grimm had to stop, his lack of endurance harshly catching up to him. His lungs burned, crying for air, while his legs felt flimsy and unstable. He rested against the trunk of a tree, his body trembling with fatigue. 

Silence engulfed them, the only sound coming from the now distant town and Grimm’s heavy breathing.

Little Red watched him regain himself, her ever present smile still on her lips. She leaned against a tree, her voice holding a mischievous tone, “Y’know, you’d be far less tired if you dispelled your resonators, no lie.”

“Wha?” Grimm, still breathless, looked up to her, then over his shoulder. There, floating just inches above the ground, was Peter and Tinkerbell. They gave him shrug and a look of guilt, as if to apologize for something. 

The prince let out a frustrated groan and lowered his head, “Please, now that we’re out of danger, can you explain this...this magic?”

At his request, the strange girl giggled again, the action frustrating him further. Grimm was not one to get angry easily, but the girl’s lax attitude and lack of information was testing his final nerve.

“Ah, um, I can explain it, if you’d like.” It was Tinkerbell to speak. Her voice was soft and gentle, no longer energized by the hype of battle.

Thankful for the offer, Grimm straightened himself and looked to her with a grateful smile, “Please do.”

The girl nodded, then cleared her throat before speaking proudly, “Prince Grimm, you have unlocked your magic power as a Ruler. It’s an ability that connects you and us fairy tales through something stronger than the already close bond we naturally share.” The girl smiled at that. She then continued, “With that power you can summon us as resonators; beings projected by your Will to aid you in combat. What she,” Tinkerbell nodded toward Little Red, “meant is that holding a resonator out takes a constant supply of magic. Considering your lack of, um, physical capabilities, holding us out while running must be quite draining.” 

Grimm nodded understandingly, “Thank you, I appreciate the advice.” He then turned his attention to Little Red, who stood with a playful smile. He gave her an exasperated look, “Anything you care to add?”

The girl giggled and shrugged, “No sir, only that we should start moving, and that’s no lie~”

The prince’s frown deepened. At first, he had been more than willing to follow her lead. Perhaps it had been the fear or adrenaline that caused him to so readily listen. Even still, he didn’t feel as if she was lying. She had given him the grimoire that unlocked his power after all. But the fact that she constantly felt the need to reassure him that she told no lies rose suspicion. Perhaps it was simply a strange verbal habit. Many people he had met would have words or sounds sprinkled into their dialect as a personal habit. But this was different, for obvious reasons. 

Grimm sighed. No matter the case, it was of little concern at the moment. The threat at hand was the demonic one; Dracula. For the sake of his people, he had to focus on that threat first. The strange girl and her strange words would have to wait. 

Finally, the prince had regained enough strength to stand on his own. He lifted his weight off the tree and brushed off the dirt from his cloak. Sighing in an attempt to calm his nerves, his gaze turned to the dark forest before him, “So...where are we going exactly?” he asked no one in particular.

The girl in red skipped up beside him and pointed down an eerie path, “First we need to get to the Forest of Darkness and rescue Pandora, no lie!”

Grimm looked to her with a cocked eyebrow, “Pandora? Who’s that?”

Little Red grinned, “She’s the girl with the box of hope! When you and her combine your Will, surely you will be able to defeat Dracula!”

“Uh-huh…” The prince was skeptical, but had no other choice. He would have to follow her lead until Dracula was defeated. It didn’t mean he would blindly trust her, however.

After giving his thanks, Grimm dispelled his summons and returned the two characters to their stories. He was still amazed he was capable of such a feat and made a mental note to write a list of fairy tales that could help later.

The two walked down the path in relative silence. Being his first time leaving the safety of the Light Palace town, Grimm couldn’t help but let his eyes wander. The forest they had entered was dark green and dense, the red moonlight hardly piercing the canopy above. He had to admit, he was grateful for its light. Without the crimson moon hanging in the sky, all they would have would be the light from the stars. After all, their world had not had a moon within human memory.

Eventually the moon had set and the sun began to rise. Even after the sun had risen, the sky held a tint of red; an ever present reminder of what was to come when it set once more. When the moon was fully out of sight, Grimm noticed Little Red’s appearance changed. Her hair had grown longer, turning from black to a pleasant amber. It had even braided itself when he wasn’t looking; or she had done so herself at an inhuman speed. Her red dress and cape remained, as did her animalistic features. She had a less intense appearance, however, and felt more like the fairy tale character Grimm had always imagined. Yet he couldn’t shake the strange feeling that she wasn’t quite who she seemed. 

His thoughts were interrupted as he stifled a yawn. It occurred to him that he had not slept, and that he had been walking whilst lost in thought the entire night. Fatigue began to weigh on his eyelids as he yawned again. 

“We should probably rest; the day will be the only safe time to sleep, no lie~” The girl chirped in a sing-song voice. 

Shame her personality hasn’t become as pleasant as her appearance, Grimm mused. He had to agree nonetheless. Ever since the crimson moon had hid itself behind the horizon, not a single nightmare had shown itself. Even the atmosphere felt different and no longer held a foreboding feeling.

They quickly found a small opening within a cluster of trees to rest. The ground was naturally lined with leaves and grass. It wasn’t quite like his bed at home, but it was better than the hard dirt. 

Grimm offered to take the first watch, but the girl in red assured him that she didn’t need to sleep. She was a fairy tale after all; a being of magic, rather than a human. She just so happened to hold the power of a Ruler herself, which was why she didn’t need to be summoned from her story to exist in the real world. Yet another reason to hold suspicion, the prince thought to himself.

The day seemed to pass quickly. Almost as soon as Grimm closed his eyes, Little Red was shaking him awake to continue their journey. The moon had risen once more, and with it the girl’s intimidating appearance returned. 

Along the road they encountered various creatures, each as menacing as the last. Grimm considered it good practice. He summoned fairy tales of all kinds; from Rapunzel to the Pied Piper, and even characters like Romeo and Juliet. He found that some fairy tales did not heed his call, for Snow White nor Cinderella would emerge from the book. Little Red said they had likely been turned into nightmares by Dracula, and would not come to him unless he defeated him first. 

Their journey continued for a number of weeks. Grimm would rest during the day under the watchful eye of the wolf girl before the two continued under the light of the crimson moon. They met opposition, but each time won with relative ease. The prince had gotten skilled in his magic, discovering he was capable of a wide range of spells beyond just his summons. He could create many things from great bolts of lightning to torrents of water, or even cut up an enemy with a concentrated wind storm. Little Red expressed how impressed she was at his elemental range, for most Rulers only held great skill in one or two attributes. She herself was linked to fire and, by extension, electricity. Her razor sharp claws allowed her to fight without reliance on magic, though when she did cast a spell its effects were devastating. 

Many days and nights passed before the two arrived in a town. They had passed through a great number of towns beforehand, but this one felt strange. As the two walked down the aged cobble stone street, the townspeople whispered and stared. Grimm knew the two of them were naturally a strange sight, but the tone felt different. It was not harsh words or anything sinister. It felt as if they were afraid. But not fear towards them, rather, something else that was unseen to them.

Finally, one of the townspeople broke from the crowd. They were a fairly young person with modest clothes and slick brown hair. They bowed before looking at Grimm with tired blue eyes, “We were expecting you, Prince Grimm. Please, follow me.” They spoke with a hushed voice that was barely audible. With an unsteady turn, they began walking towards a dark hut tucked to the side of the village.

Grimm and Little Red looked at each other before the girl shrugged with a grin and followed their guide. Sighing, the prince followed.

They walked in relative silence until Little Red hummed with recollection, “Ohh, I know this place! Yessir, it’s the town with the famous diviner guy that lives near the Forest of Darkness, no lie~”

“Famous diviner?” Grimm asked puzzled, “I’ve never heard of such a person.”

She giggled, “How funny! He’s famous for giving ominous predictions that always come true. He never lies, no sir! I say that sounds pretty fishy though, don’t you think?”

“You’re one to talk,” he mumbled under his breath. Grimm then looked back ahead to the child guiding them, then toward the small eerie hut that drew ever closer. 

He frowned, his hand slowly reaching for the book tied to his hip, “I’m not sure about this, if I’m honest. We should be cautious.”

Little Red nodded in agreement, though her smile made it feel as if she wasn’t taking things seriously. Grimm had to wonder if she ever did.

They reached the hut, and without a word the child pulled back the curtain that led inside. A waft of air brushed passed their cheeks, carrying the smell of old books and incense. 

The wolf girl and prince peeked their heads through the entrance before slowly creeping inside. Just a few paces away sat the diviner, though his appearance did not match that of what Grimm was expecting.

The old man sat before them on a throne of cloth and snakes carved from darkened wood with one leg tucked beneath the other. A cloth was wrapped around his head, covering his stringy black hair and draping down over his shoulders and down his back. He wore no shirt and his skin was brown like aged parchment. His ribs were clearly visible and his arms and legs were scrawny with no visible muscle. It looked as though he had not eaten, nor seen sunlight in decades.

What was most disturbing of all were his eyes. They were white and pupiless, yet Grimm could still feel his disturbing gaze piercing right through him. A shiver rippled through his body under his stare.

Without a word, the diviner lowered his head to look down at the book sitting in his lap. He lifted a boney hand and opened the cover, then began flipping through the pages by just brushing his fingers on the edges.

When he reached the desired page, he lowered a finger and contemplated the words before him. After a moment, he hummed in thought before raising his head to look at his two guests. He spoke with a low, careful voice, “I see, so I was in slight error...Tell me, girl, who might you be? Or do you even know?”

Little Red laughed and jerked a thumb to her chest, “Why I’m Little Red Riding Hood, silly! I figured my story was famous enough that introductions were of no need. Can you not see my cute little red hood?” She twirled around on the spot, her red cape swirling with her sudden movement.

The diviner stared at her a moment with an unreadable expression, “I see.” His voice was slow and careful with a heavy tone, one that sent a chill down Grimm’s spine.

He then slowly turned his gaze to the prince, “Is it I you wish a fortune from?”

Grimm thought for a moment, highly unsure of the situation. The man before him gave no sign of malice; in truth he gave no sign of anything. The prince was usually quite talented at reading people, but the diviner before him was a blank page. The state of the town and its people didn’t help, it looked as though they suffered nothing but misfortune. But who was to say that was the fault of the diviner? Perhaps he was simply a messenger of misfortune who just so happened to have a sinister air about him. And perhaps Grimm’s sense of danger had finally numbed out from the constant battling the journey threw at him.

Nevertheless, the prince nodded wordlessly.

Once again the diviner looked down to his book. His finger traced along the words as he read them aloud with his deep, monotone voice, “From here, you will enter the Forest of Darkness in search of a girl by the name of Pandora. With her power combined with your own, you will surely vanquish Dracula. Whether or not you believe me, young prince, is up to you.”

He then shut his book, closed his eyes, and exhaled without another word.

It was only then that Grimm realised how tense his body had become. He released the breath he was unknowingly holding as he lowered his stiff shoulders and lessened his death grip on his book. The magic power that had surrounded the diviner as he spoke was powerful, far more powerful than anything they had encountered thus far. 

“Hey wow, he said exactly what I’ve been saying! Looks like his fortune really is no lie~” The girl cheered.

“I’m not willing to entrust my future to a single fortune.” _Especially not one from a man like him,_ “Either way, we should hurry onward.” Grimm tried not to let his voice give away how uneasy he felt, but couldn’t stop his words from sounding rushed. He could feel a growing presence from outside the hut and could only assume the townspeople had gathered closer.

“Good point! No matter what, we have to go through that forest anyway to reach Dracula. So, let’s get going!” Little Red spoke to the strange man with a childish wave, “See ya later Mr Diviner~” then turned to leave with Grimm following close behind.

Just as he had thought, a large crowd had formed around the hut. As soon as they exited a wave of murmurs broke out amongst them. The child that had guided them stared at them with wide-eyed shock, “You receive...a good fortune?...” 

Their words seemed to echo the crowd’s thoughts. The people spoke louder, voicing their opinions to one another.

“But the diviner never gives fortunes that bring good…”

“Do you think he was tricking them?”

“But the diviner never lies, his fortunes always come true!”

“Perhaps...Perhaps the prince truly can save us?”

The air remained heavy, their slowly growing optimism still held down by their unfortunate past experiences. Grimm began to shift uncomfortably from the mixed feelings; the ones that did not speak simply stared at him, furthering his discomfort. 

He leaned down to the wolf girl and whispered, “We should leave. Now.”

The girl nodded in wordless agreement. She grabbed his hand and dragged him through the crowd with a grin, “Outta the way!”

Grimm had hoped to have gotten out discretely, but supposed, with a defeated sigh, that this would do just as well.

They quickly escaped the town and continued on their way. The moon had set and the sunlight peeked through the dense foliage. Grimm decided it would be best to rest before entering the dark forest.

The pair found a mossy opening in a thick of tree roots, the makeshift cave large enough for both of them. Grimm laid down to rest, but sleep did not come easy. Not that it ever did.

It was always the same thoughts that clouded his mind. They had been traveling for who knew how long; weeks? A few months perhaps? Time was difficult to keep track of when one constantly traveled through the forest at night. Grimm could hardly believe the forest itself was large enough for such a long journey, but here they were. It hardly felt like he had accomplished much. There was an ever present nagging pull in his chest, one reminding him that the longer they took, the more his people suffered. He trusted his sister, Lumia, to protect the palace and people with the soldiers, he really did. But he was her older brother, and her safety being unknown to him made him anxious. His sister, father, the state of his kingdom; all these unknown factors weighed heavy on his heart. But he had to hold onto the hope that they could make it, that everything would end alright. That was the entire reason he was on this journey.

“Hey, Grimm? You should really get some rest. We’re entering the Forest of Darkness tomorrow, and it won’t be easy to rescue Pandora, no lie,” She gave him a warm, comforting smile. Grimm had come to realise her personality seemed to alter greatly when the moon wasn’t hanging in the sky. While he still didn’t trust her, he was glad that, when he was at his weakest, the form she took was like the Red Riding Hood he had loved since childhood. Her smile was kind and her eyes soft, allowing him to close his eyes and finally let sleep wash over him.


	2. The Battle Against Dracula

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimm's journey is nearing to an end. After meeting new comrades, the prince manages to gather his courage and face against Dracula. But will their power be enough?

It wasn’t long before they reached the Forest of Darkness, and it certainly earned such a name. Just a few paces forward was nothing but black, like looking up into a starless night sky. Even the trunks of the trees were consumed by the shadows. Starlight nor moonlight pierced the leaves; the forest looked as if it consumed all that entered. 

Grimm shivered with unease. He reached for his book and flipped through it’s pages. Effortlessly he reached the desired passage, “Tinkerbell, please come to my side,” His voice came out soft and shaken with anxiety. He usually summoned his beloved characters with passion and fire, but the sight before him had drained him of such drive.

Nonetheless a ball of light emerged from his book before shattering in a shimmer of light. The small girl floated down, gracefully landing on the pages. She looked up, her usually smiling face now holding a serious expression. She must have been able to sense his anxieties and spoke with reassurance and a small smile, “Heya, prince Grimm.”

Grimm returned the smile, “Tinkerbell, would you be able to help light the way?”

The small girl nodded and floated up to perch herself on his shoulder. Little Red had been watching the whole time, waiting for him to ready himself before they entered.

Taking a deep breath, the prince walked forward into the shadows with the wolf girl by his side.

They walked through the trees silently. There was nothing but silence within the darkness, and Grimm feared any sound from them would awaken whatever slept out of sight. Not that they could see much, even with the little fairy tale girl’s light. 

The prince gripped his book tightly until his fingers grew stiff. His body was tense and he had to constantly remind himself to breathe. He took every step carefully, not wanting even the snap of a twig the break the delicate silence.

A sudden rustling of leaves made them halt all movement. The sound stopped and the two held their breath in anticipation. There was a brief moment of silence before a menacing hiss. 

Grimm was taken aback, finding himself taking a few paces backward. The sound was animalistic in nature, but sounded as if it originated from a human. He knew exactly what it was; it was a vampire. While the two had defeated vampires and monsters alike while on their journey, they were at a much greater disadvantage in the darkness.

“Get down Grimm!” He heard Little Red’s voice just as the vampire came into his sight. He was just barely able to avoid the attack, jumping out of the way and landing on the hard ground with a thud. The attack slashed into a tree, the impact sending shards of bark flying through the air. 

With a shout Little Red attacked, her wolfish eyes able to make out the figure in the darkness. Grimm could hear their tussle, but could see no more than the faint outline of their silhouettes attacking each other. He flipped through his grimoire, desperately trying to find anything that could help. Tinkerbell’s dim light was able to help somewhat, but his connection to the book’s contents was more than enough to see even without light.

He found a spell that would do. Grimm brought himself up onto his knee and held his hand above the pages, then closed his eyes and focused. Light swirled around his hand, starting dim before growing blindingly bright.

His eyes snapped open and his arm flicked out as he shouted, “Light of Hope!”

Rays of light shot forward, sticking into the vampire like tiny needles. It reeled back with a cry of pain. The sudden light in the darkness blinded them; even Grimm held up a protective arm to his eyes. 

The light faded and the prince peaked around his sleeve. His eyes tried adjusting to the sudden darkness but spots of light obscured his already poor vision.

Without warning, the vampire lept onto his chest and pinned him to the ground. The impact sent Tinkerbell flying with a cry, hitting a rock with an audible thud before disappearing, taking her light with her.

Grimm could no longer see anything before him. The heavy weight of the vampire held him down, its cold hands gripping his wrists and its legs held down his own. 

The prince panicked as he laid there defenselessly. He struggled against its deathly hold, but the vampire didn’t budge. His voice was caught in his throat, preventing him from crying out for help. 

He grew still, his body stiff with fear. His breathing became rapid and uneven as he felt hot breath on his neck. There was nothing he could do as the vampire’s fangs grazed his skin.

“Begone foul creature!”

The pressure from the sinister teeth lifted suddenly before they broke skin. A flash of orange light shot into his line of sight. It hit the vampire, lighting the area with an intense fire. Grimm could feel the heat on his face, but the flames didn’t seem to harm him. 

The vampire screeched, backing away while clawing at itself in pain. The fire only grew with its jerky movements until it was consumed, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.

Grimm expected the darkness to consume them once again, but instead they were left with a warm orange glow. 

Slowly the prince sat up and turned to look over his shoulder. Behind him was a pair of muddy brown boots. He tilted his head up and found a young woman wearing a sleeveless green tunic. She had blonde hair pulled back into two braids that reached down past her waist. The light came from a lamp hanging from the belt on her hip, the other side holding the sheath to the sword still tight in her grip. What was most notable was her long, elvish ears and inhumanly blue eyes.

He was so enthralled by her appearance that it took him a moment to realise her sword was pointed in his face. Grimm laughed nervously and slowly raised his hands, “Ah, hahah...um, hello,” he stammered awkwardly. 

She glared at him sternly, her voice coming out cold, “Who are you and why are you here.”

Grimm couldn’t help but notice that sounded more like a command rather than a question. He brought his hand behind his head and chuckled sheepishly, “You don’t know who I am? Huh, that’s a first.” Everyone they had encountered to that point knew who he was, so finding someone that did not was, in all honesty, refreshing. Shame said person was pointing a weapon in his face.

She thrust her blade closer, causing him to flinch, “Do not take me for a fool! State who you are you girlish man.”

“Ah, g-girlish...man?” Her face hardened in irritation. “Ah! Um, Grimm! My name is Grimm Glynn!” He blubbered out nervously.

The woman cocked an eyebrow, the tension in her arm lessening slightly, “Grimm Glynn? What kind of name is that?”

Grimm blushed in embarrassment, “My...mother named me. After the fairy tales…”

She hummed in response, her eyes then flicking behind him to the girl in red, “And you?”

Little Red grinned and winked, “Little Red Riding is my name, killing evildoers is my game!”

The swordswoman pondered for a moment, her gaze shifting between the two. She held her frown before sighing and sheathing her sword, “Well, I suppose a couple of...interesting folk like you wouldn’t pose a threat. But,” she looked at both of them sternly, “if you try anything funny you will meet the same fate as that vampire.” 

Grimm laughed nervously and nodded. Little Red raised her hand in a mock salute, “You got it elf lady!”

With the sword no longer a threat, Grimm picked himself off the dirt and brushed off the dust. He then held out a gloved hand to the woman, “Thank you for your help, um…”

She looked down to his hand, then back to him. Cautiously, she reached out and took his gesture, “Christie.”

Grimm smiled warmly, “Well then, you have my sincerest gratitude, Christie.”

Again she hummed in response. She drew her hand back and continued staring at the two, the tension still visible in her body.

The prince shifted awkwardly under her gaze, “So, um, may I ask why you’re here?”

Christie’s frown returned, “Didn’t I ask you that first?”

“O-oh, uh, right. Well, you see-”

Little Red interrupted by popping up behind him and chirped, “We’re on a journey to beat Dracula!”

The elf looked at them surprised, “You’re aiming to defeat Dracula as well?”

Grimm nodded, “Yes, and that’s why-” He paused a moment as he realised what she said, “Wait, ‘as well’?”

Christie’s expression hardened, “That’s right. I’ve been searching for a way to defeat him ever since the sky was stained crimson. I...have lost much to his uprising. My friends and family were killed by his nightmares. Hunting these monsters is all I have left.” Her face grew sullen as she spoke. It was obvious from her pained expression that she had suffered greatly.

The prince’s fists clenched at his sides. He grit his teeth and he looked to her with determination, “Christie, please, I know I’m in no position to ask for help but...Please, will you assist me in defeating the demonic one, Dracula?”

She stared at him for a moment in wide-eyed shock from his sudden outburst. Her eyes scanned his face, and after a moment her expression softened. She sighed with a small smile, “Heh, you have a great passion burning behind those eyes of yours. That...is quite a feat in these dark times.” Her smile broadened. She raised her hand to her chest and bowed, “Yes, I will grant my assistance. Let us work together and bring peace to this land once again.”

Grimm was about to give is thanks before Little Red popped up between them, “Oh, look at you Grimm! You made a new friend, and she looks strong, no lie~”

The two looked to the wolf girl, then to each other with exasperation. The elf was barley with them a few moments and already pitied him.

Christie turned away and waved to follow, “Stay close behind me. I know this forest well, and my holy fire will fend off the darkness and monsters within.”

Grimm nodded and walked beside her with Little Red bounding up from behind.

Despite the protection of the elf’s light, the prince kept his voice low as he spoke. While he wanted to inquire about what she had been through, he felt it was not the time to ask something so personal, “Um, you said you were searching for a way to defeat Dracula. Are you perhaps looking for a girl named Pandora?”

He could see her glance back slightly before returning her attention to the path ahead and murmured to herself, “So you really are after Dracula…” She then spoke clearly again, “Yes, I have heard the girl named Pandora wields a special box, one filled with the power of Will.”

Grimm frowned, “Will? I thought her box was only filled with Hope.”

Christie shook her head, “No. While it is filled with Hope, it also holds the power of Despair. It is why she’s often referred to as the Goddess of light and dark.”

The prince whispered to himself in wonder, “The Goddess of light and dark...hmm…”

Little Red looked up to him mischievously, “Ooh, Grimm, are you imagining her as a super pretty girl?” 

“Wha? N-no!” Grimm stammered flustered, “I was just thinking that she sounds powerful is all!”

The wolf girl gave him a smug grin, “Hey hey, don’t you start lying now~”

Grimm simply groaned at her teasing. 

He noticed Christie slow a few paces, allowing to her to whisper to him without Little Red hearing, “Why are you traveling with this girl? She doesn’t seem very trustworthy…”

“No, she isn’t,” Grimm agreed, “But she is strong, and is the one who helped me unlock my power. I need her, at least until Dracula is defeated. Then I will focus on discovering her true intentions.”

The elf thought for a moment before slowly nodding in agreement, “Yes, that’s likely the wise choice. So long as she does not pose a threat, Dracula must stay as the priority.”

“Heya, watchya two talking about?” The red girl inquired from behind. 

Grimm turned back and gave her a smile and wave, “Oh nothing of concern. We’re just figuring out where to go next is all.”

“Oh?” She cocked her head to the side with a grin, “So where might we be heading then?”

“Oh, well, um-” Grimm searched for an appropriate answer until Christie thankfully interrupted.

“We’re heading straight for Pandora. I know where she’s being held, as well as who is guarding her.” Christie subconsciously gripped the hilt of her sheathed blade, “Her jailer is a formidable opponent; a character from a holy tale that has been turned into a nightmare by Dracula.”

“A character turned into a nightmare?” Grimm pondered for a moment, “But I thought they could only be returned to normal if we defeated Dracula.”

Little Red nodded in agreement, “That’s right! Characters from stories turned into nightmares can only be killed, not restored, no lie~”

Grimm frowned, “So we’ll just have to defeat them enough to grab Pandora before they can recover…”

“No, that won’t work,” Christie spoke solemnly, “Jeanne D’arc is powerful and determined. She will not stop until her defeat ends in her death. We will have to kill her to save Pandora.”

The prince reeled back and clutched his book. Jeanne D’arc may not have been a fairy tale, but she was a character he knew well. She was a holy protector of the people, one who fought hard for the sake of others. Knowing that such a strong character had been reduced to a nightmare...it was almost too much to bear. 

He grit his teeth, his grip on his book tightening, “Is there...really no other way?”

Christie sighed, her voice coming out softly, “I wish there was, but…” Her voice trailed off, but the sadness hanging from her words gave away her desire to be wrong. 

Grimm’s eyes lowered to the ground, and he said nothing more.

The party walked in silence for the remainder of the trip, too lost in thought to spark more conversation. 

Eventually they reached the outskirts of a small clearing. To the back of the clear ground was a rather sad look stone structure. Vines crept and weaved through the walls and not a single window was present. The roof dipped down through the back, though not from it collapsing. It appeared to lead underground, the small building only working as an entrance for whatever was beneath the earth. Despite it’s old and eerie appearance, it looked quite sturdy.

The three crouched down, hiding behind some bushes at the far end of the area. Christie nodded forward and spoke in barely a whisper, “There she is.”

Indeed, patrolling the front entrance, was a young woman clad in silver armour. It was a rather revealing set, Grimm admitted. It consisted of large metal boots and gauntlets, as well as a piece that covered her chest and abdomen. Atop her head was the top half of a helm with long, braided blonde hair trailing out from behind and reaching her exposed thighs. Everything from her posture to her outfit gave her an air of confidence, as if she was certain she would not need more coverage in order to win a fight unscathed.

Grimm swallowed nervously. She would certainly be quite the opponent.

“Alright,” he began slowly, “we need to have a plan before charging in.”

Christie nodded in agreement, “Good idea. We’ll have you hang in the back to provide support with your magic. Try and keep her attention drawn as Little Red and I…” Her voice trailed off as they both turned beside them to find they were alone. 

“Tee hee, what are you two doing back there?” 

The two looked forward in a panic to see Little Red standing in the clearing. She stood confidently in the middle of the area, easily catching the attention of the armour clad woman.

Jeanne D’arc readied herself, drawing her sword and shouted, “Who goes there!”

Christie and Grimm both sighed, the elf looking toward the prince, “She may not be a threat, but she certainly is a nuisance.”

He groaned in wordless agreement as he stood up and stepped out, Christie following close behind. Without looking away from Jeanne, Grimm muttered to the elf, “Sticking with the plan still?”

She nodded as she drew her blade.

Little Red grinned and cocked her head to the side curiously, “What plan?”

“Attack!” Christie’s words hardly left her mouth as she darted forward with incredible speed.

The wolf girl shrugged, “Alrighty then!” then charged after her with sheathed claws.  
Grimm ran forward, though kept his distance. He pulled out his book and prepared his magic, readying himself to fire off any spell his team required.

And so a great battle ensued. The swords of Christie and Jeanne clashed, sending sparks flying into the dimly red-lit darkness. Little Red charged around, attempting to attack her openings. Impossibly, Jeanne reacted quickly, able to nimbly dodge the slashes and kick away the girl before putting her attention back on the elf. The three moved like an intense dance, their limbs and bodies moving wildly in an attempt to land a hit. Grimm kept his distance, powering up and defending him comrades with various spells, not wanting to attack incase of friendly fire. He was able to bring out some fairy tales, though they didn’t last long before being struck down.

In a change of strategy, Christie backed away and changed to magic as well. She summoned powerful winds in an attempt to disrupt and trip the female warrior. Jeanne simply cut through the magic with her blade and countered with her own spells. Little Red rushed in between the magic, but was easily dodged. 

With the fight spreading out, Grimm decided to use spells of his own. He summoned a torrent of water to which Jeanne was easily able to cut away. His spells were fast and varied, though none of them were cast with lethality in mind.

Little Red seemed to notice and shouted to him as she recovered from another missed attack, “C’mon Grimm, we’ll never beat her with that kinda magic!”

Christie fired another slash of air as she agreed with the wolf girl, “She’s right, we can’t hold back!”

Grimm tensed without a word. In truth, he had been trying to figure out a way to defeat Jeanne without her meeting an untimely end. He held back on his magic, using only enough to defend his team while he bought himself time to think. 

“Holding back you say,” The warrior muttered to herself. She shifted her gaze to the prince and narrowed her eyes, “Your magic is strong. It’ll be bad for me if you use your full power.”

In a blink she dashed forward, coming up in front of Grimm before anyone could react. He tried to move away, but a sudden sharp pain in his abdomen prevented him from dodging.

The woman stilled, her face close to his. He tried to back away, but his body was rigid. Pain spread from his side and out through his body, his waist slowing growing wet. It took a moment before he realised her blade struck through the left side of his waist.

He could hear the others cry out to him, but their voices were muffled and distant. He needed to come up with something; fast.

Grimm gritted his teeth and looked Jeanne dead in the eyes, “This...isn’t like you, Jeanne. Please, stop this.” He pleaded, his voice broken and weak with pain.

She narrowed her eyes, slowly pushing the blade deeper, “I am to pass judgement to all sinners, and none have sinned more than humanity itself.”

The prince coughed. Pressured weight heavily on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He brought up a shaky hand and gripped her shoulder, “If that’s...the case...Then I’ll remind you, of your tale!”

He gave a mighty shove and pushed her off. She hadn’t expected the burst of strength of her impaled opponent, the sudden action throwing her off balance.

Grimm didn’t give her a chance to recover. He held the grimoire out in front of him, the pages turning furiously and wild streams of light circled around him. He brought his free hand forward and shouted with raspy breath, “Return to your story!”

Bolts of electric magic shot forth surrounding Jeanne, the rush of energy paralysing her. The magic began to tug at her, pulling her towards the book. She struggled against it to no avail, the force lifting her off the ground with a shout.

The prince clenched his teeth as he pushed his magic further. He quickly found it to be a difficult spell, the strain was almost too much for his wounded body. The blood seeped out of his side and spread quickly, soaking his tunic and coat. But he had to keep going, for if this spell failed they would have a very angry opponent.

With a final cry, the magic pulled Jeanne in. She reached out as her body began to fade before being reduced to a shower of magic. The light shot into the grimoire; Grimm struggled to keep the book steady from the impact. All at once, the light was gone, and the book snapped shut.

The three stood around, panting with fatigue. The air still hummed with magic, for such a powerful spell would not fully dissipate for sometime. Both Christie and Little Red stared at Grimm in shock while the prince struggled for breath.

It was Christie that finally broke the silence, though just barely, as her voice came out breathlessly, “How did...you do that?”

Little Red smiled and looked to the elf, “See, I wasn’t lying; Grimm is the one that can defeat Dracula!” She ran over to prince, “Right?”

Grimm only nodded in response. His eyes were focused on the ground and his body was slightly hunched forward while his free arm cradled his waist.

Christie notice his odd behaviour and slowly walked up to him, “Grimm, are you okay?” She leaned down to better look him in the face and gasped. 

His complexion was much too pale and his expression was twisted in pain. His breath was shallow and uneven and sweat was building on his upper brow. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emerged. Instead he sighed as he collapsed forward, falling into the elf’s outstretched arms. 

“Ah, Grimm!” The woman cried out as he lay unmoving in her arms. She guided him down and turned him over to look at his wounds. The wound was on his left, the clothing surrounding it soaked in blood. 

Red Riding Hood leaned over to look as well, “Ooh, that doesn’t look good. No sir, if he dies we’re all doomed, no lie.”

Christie clenched her teeth and looked to the stone structure with desperation. Without looking back she spoke a command with a shaky voice, “Watch Grimm for me,” before taking off.

Grimm watched her run with bleary eyes. He was still conscious, but just barely. He struggled to breathe, but it felt as if someone was sitting on his chest. His body felt numb and tired, but he knew if he let himself sleep he would not wake up. 

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them he saw something new. A blurry, pinkish figure was sitting above him. He could hear a new voice, but his mind was too fuzzy to make out anything. It was a struggled to stay awake, and he finally gave in. His heavy eyelids slowly shut and he exhaled softly. Much better.

He felt a strange warmth envelope him as the pain in his side ebbed away. His muscles relaxed and he found he could breathe a bit easier. It was a calming feeling, like taking a nap under the apple tree in the Light Palace park. And as long as he wasn’t dreaming, he wasn’t sleeping, and that was okay.

It had been a while since he felt himself rest so peacefully. Perhaps he had fallen asleep despite his better judgement. In the moment, he didn’t care. His nights had been plagued by nightmares so much that he forgot what a pleasant dream felt like. He wasn’t dreaming, but floating in the light abyss was just as nice.

The prince realised he felt a presence of some kind. He looked around into the nothing, but he was alone. It wasn’t a menacing feeling in the slightest, rather the opposite. He wondered if it was guardian, like the fairy godmother in Cinderella’s tale.

Slowly he cracked his eyes open. He quickly shut them from the blinding light, then attempted again. He hadn’t recalled it being so bright a few moments ago.

It took a few blinks for his eyes to adjust, but when they did he was left puzzled. Above him was not the thick of leaves and branches of the eerie forest. Instead he was in a room with a pale white ceiling and smooth wooden walls. The window to his left was open slightly, a soft breeze gently carrying the light curtains. Streams of soft, red-tinted sunlight filtered through, a sight he had not seen in far too long.

He turned his head on the soft pillow to look to his right and stopped with a start. A girl, likely around his age, was sleeping with her head resting in her crossed arms. She had short pink hair that reached just above her shoulders in a bob cut. She had a soft, cute face, her long eyelashes resting on her pale cheeks. She wore a long veil that draped down her back and only just hovered above the floor. He could just make out her green and white dress under her hunched form. The back of the garment broke away into a tail flap and rested on the floor, the front appearing to be a ruffled white skirt. 

A blush crept up on Grimm’s cheeks as he simply stared at her sleeping form.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open, but even still Grimm found he couldn’t look away. She brought up her gloves hands and rubbed her eyes with a yawn as she sat up and stretched. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes met his lazily.

Suddenly they flew open, wide awake, as she seemingly realised that he too was conscious. Her cheeks grew flushed and she blubbered with a nervous smile, “Oh, um, hello! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you…” Her eyes lowered as she absently scratched her rosy cheek with a delicate finger. 

Grimm just continued to stare without a word. His mouth was agape as he attempted to form words. Her dark gold eyes stole anything he tried to say; he was too captivated by her beauty to form a proper sentence.

The girl shifted, her eyes darting around shyly. She laughed awkwardly, “Ah, um...You’re...kind of staring.”

The prince frowned until her words finally registered. His eyes widened and his blush darkened. He quickly looked away in embarrassment, “Ah, my apologies! I, um...Didn’t mean…”

He paused a moment as he suddenly recalled what had happened prior to his awakening. He looked back to her with a slight frown, “Um, may I ask who you are?”

She smiled calmly, “My name is Pandora. I’m the one you saved from Jeanne D’arc, do you remember?”

Grimm nodded slowly, indeed remembering the battle that had taken place. His hand reached over to his waist where he had been stabbed, only to find it was almost completely healed. His frown deepened; just how much time had passed since then?

“You were hurt pretty badly,” Pandora continued when he did not respond, “I was able to heal you enough for us to bring you here. It’s my hometown located on the outskirts of the Forest of Darkness.” She gave him a reassuring smile, obviously sensing his confusion. “You’ve only been asleep for a couple days, so don’t worry too much.”

The prince hummed in response. They had been successful in their endeavor, but only just. Grimm’s hand tightened on the loose clothing by his side. His carelessness nearly got him killed, and if that happened...he didn’t want to think about it.

Instead he looked back to meet her amber eyes and spoke softly, “Thank you, Pandora, for saving me.” The girl giggled, puzzling the prince, “Wait, why are you laughing?”

Pandora’s laughter trailed off and her smile broadened, “You’re funny. You saved me, remember? All I did was patch you up.”

Grimm chuckled at her modesty, “But if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have made it back there.”

The girl shook her head in response, “But if it wasn’t for _you_ I’d still be trapped in that dungeon.”

“Heheh, glad to see you two are getting along, no lie!”

They both stopped their back and forth to turn their attention to the door. Both Little Red and Christie had entered the room. Grimm was relieved to see both were unharmed.

The elf girl grinned at the sight of he and Pandora, “I agree, I’m glad you seem to be off to a good start.” She chuckled, “We figured you would, you’re both quite similar.”

Pandora pouted and crossed her arms playfully, “What do you mean by that?”

Little Red laughed, “‘Cuz you’re both all nice and cutesy and stuff, no lie!”

Grimm and Pandora looked to each other, their cheeks flushed once more. They snickered and burst out laughing. 

Everyone shifted around to get comfortable, the two standing now taking a seat; Christie pulled out an extra stool while Little Red plopped down on the end of the bed. The lax atmosphere changed, the tone of the room growing serious. 

Pandora was the one to speak first, “So, what do we do now?”

Christie brought up a hand to her chin thoughtfully, “I suppose our next goal is our final one; to defeat Dracula.”

“That’s right!” Little Red chimed in, “We’ll need to head on over to Alvarez, the demonic castle. Thankfully it’s only a day's trip from here, no lie.”

Grimm nodded slowly, “I have to agree. We’ve been on this journey for far too long. We should end this as soon as we’re able.”

Pandora looked to him with concern, “Are you sure you’re up for it? You only just recovered after a life threatening wound…”

Truthfully, the prince wasn’t certain. His body was still mildly sore and too much movement caused some discomfort in his waist. But he didn’t feel he had the right to complain. The people were suffering the longer he waited. Being a little sore was no excuse to not fight.

After pondering a moment, he nodded with determination, “I am. I can’t allow Dracula’s terror to plague the land any longer. We need to defeat him, and we need to do so as soon as possible.”

The three agreed. The vampire’s reign of terror had continue for much too long. It was time things were put to an end.

They all gathered their things and left the room for Grimm to change. His clothes had been folded neatly and piled on a nearby chair. He picked up his tunic and examined it. He couldn’t help but notice the whites and purples looked far cleaner than they had in months, even with the faint stain of red. 

Grimm smiled nostalgically as he slipped it over his head and grabbed for his black and white tights. Everything had been carefully washed, yet the wear and tear still showed. He mused at how far he had come and chuckled as he imagined what Aesop’s reaction would be to see him now. He smiled sadly at the thought of his people, especially Lumia and their father. He couldn’t help but miss them dearly.

He slipped on his dark rose long coat and pulled up his gloves, adjusting their metallic cuffs. The prince turned to walk out as he hung his heavy cloak over his shoulders, having it sway behind him dramatically as he left the room.

The three were waiting for him at the front entrance located at the end of the hallway. They appeared to be discussing something with a woman, thankfully it didn’t appear to be anything of concern.

They noticed his approach and waved a greeting. 

Christie cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms with a grin, “So, you feeling better mister prince?”

Grimm frowned and tilted his head in confusion, “Huh?”

The elf chuckled, “You didn’t think to tell me you were the prince of the Light Palace?”

He laughed and sheepishly raised a hand to his hair, “Oh, ah, guess I never did mention that, did I.”

“My prince, I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

Grimm looked over to the woman who had spoke. Now being closer, he realised he knew her, “Oh, you’re one of the soldiers from the Light Palace!” His voice rose in excitement and relief. He hadn’t recognized her from afar due to her lack of proper uniform, but he recognized her face as one of his father’s most trusted knights. He remembered she had been sent out and stationed at a nearby town after they had been devastated by a fire. What brought him the most comfort was her expression; she was calm and smiling, her face absent of evidence of bad news.

She grinned, “I am indeed. I received a letter from Aesop that instructed me to find you. He said he knew your journey would take you around here and entrusted a letter to me. Unfortunately he didn’t know your exact whereabouts so I had to do some searching.” She laughed, “Then again, all I really had to do was ask around the nearby towns to see if they saw a young man with black and white hair.” She stopped suddenly and blushed, “Oh! Ah, sorry for rambling! I have the letter right here.” 

The woman reached into her satchel and pulled out an envelope. She offered it to the prince with a proud smile, “Here you are!”

Grimm gratefully took the letter, “Thank you very much.”

He hastily opened the paper, his eyes skimming through the neatly written words. The girls slowly leaned behind him in an attempt to read it as well. While they couldn’t see it, his smile was telling enough. He sniffled lightly and pawed at his eyes. His voice was quiet and shaky with emotion, “They’re alright...Everyone is alright.”

Little Red laughed, “Heheh, with how tough your sister seemed, I’m not surprised, no lie!”

Grimm couldn’t help but chuckled in agreement. He looked back to the young woman and bowed, “Thank you so much for this. It’s more helpful than you’ll ever know.” 

She blushed at his words and returned the bow, “Anything to help, my prince. And, good luck.” 

The woman gave a final farewell and left the group. After they finished their own business with the clinic, the group headed out as well.

Now that there were four of them instead of only two, they decided it be best to travel under the sun and take turns keeping watch at night. It would only be one night of rest before they reached the demonic castle.

They made haste, covering as much ground as they could before the sun began to set. Once only a sliver peeked over the trees, the four set up camp. Grimm and Pandora worked together to set up food and a place to sleep while Christie and Little Red gathered wood for a fire. The elf lit the wood with her holy fire, claiming the light would fend off anything lurking in the dark.

Little Red offered to remain on watch the entire night, as usual, while Grimm took the first watch of the three. They sat on opposite ends of their camp at the edge of the protective light. The prince sat quietly and listened for any abnormal sounds. He had rested plenty in the clinic while recovering from his injuries, making it easy to remain awake. 

He heard a soft shuffling behind him and turned just as Pandora silently sat down next to him. He smiled at the unexpected company and returned his gaze out into the red night, “Couldn’t sleep?”

Pandora shooked her head and smiled, “No, I’m much too nervous. I mean, just a few days ago I was locked in a dungeon, all alone…” Her voice grew heavy and trailed off.

Grimm looked to her and saw her gaze was fixated on the ground. He looked back outward, though inched himself closer to her, hoping it would give her some comfort. She took his offer and leaned her head on her shoulder. 

The two sat together in silence with nothing but the crackling fire behind them. They hadn’t known each other for long, but already Grimm felt at ease with her presence. The prince was wondering if Pandora had fallen asleep before she shifted slightly.

“Grimm,” She spoke suddenly yet softly, “can I ask you something?”

“Anything.” He responded with a gentle whisper.

“Why did you go through so much to save everyone? Was it from a sense of obligation, or…” She didn’t finish her sentence. He assumed that her question was too difficult to ask, though he understood what she meant.

He sighed and looked up to the stars overhead, “To be honest, it’s been hard. When I started on this journey, I was rushed into it so suddenly. For the longest time, I didn’t know why I did it beyond a sense of duty as the prince.” He paused thoughtfully and smiled, “But as I traveled, I met so many people and saw so many wonderous things. I came to realise that I wanted to protect the land and people that I’ll come to rule; but not out of duty, but rather because...Because I care about them.”

Grimm remained silent, not quite expecting a response. He could feel Pandora tense slightly against him. It became obvious to him she did want to say something, but whatever it was was difficult to form into words. Instead of urging her to speak, he waited until she was ready.

A few moments of a silence passed before Pandora spoke, albeit with a quiet and careful voice, “I...was trapped under there a few weeks after this all started,” She began. “Dracula knew of my power over hope and despair. I wanted to help the people but...he wanted me to use my despair to aid him. I refused, at first. That was when he threatened my hometown. I agreed to leave them and consider helping him if he left them alone.” She paused. “No one came to help me. I knew that Jeanne was guarding me, and that she was very powerful, but part of me...part of me felt as if no one came because they didn’t want to try.” She chuckled harshly, “I see now that was silly of me. Jeanne was too powerful for anyone to fight, I know that now. But back then, while alone in the dark, I began to hate humans, just like Jeanne. I wanted to use my despair to spite the people that were too cowardly to help me.” The last sentence came out rough and her hands clenched into fists. Her voice began to break and tears welled in her eyes, “I look back at how I felt just days before this, and it frightens me that I wanted to do such terrible things.” Tears streamed down her cheeks, her shoulders shaky with her sobs.

Slowly, carefully, Grimm leaned over her and wrapped his arms around her. The action startled her, but she didn’t push him away. Instead she buried herself into his shoulder and cried. Her body shook with every breath, her hands gripping his cloak and wrinkled the fabric. Grimm held her tighter without a word. 

After a few moments she began to calm down, her sobs quieting into sniffles. For moments more they sat together in the firelight. Grimm gently brought his hand through her pink hair, relying on actions over words to comfort her. 

The girl sat up and rubbed her eyes, sniffling a few more times as she tried to dry her face. Grimm smiled gently, “Feel better?”

Pandora laughed softly, “Actually...I do, yeah. Thank you.” 

“I’m glad to hear that,” He held his smile and looked back out into the dark, “You should get some sleep. We all could use it.”

He heard her shift and expected her to get up and go back and lay down. What he didn’t expect was a gentle hand on his cheek turning his head to face hers. 

The fire light made her golden eyes sparkle and dance. She looked at him with gentle features and spoke teasingly, “Not so fast mister prince. I spilled my guts out, it’s only fair you do too.” 

Grimm cocked an eyebrow and smiled half teasingly, “Did I not already?”

She shook her head, “No no, that was different! Tell me your doubts; your fears!, Come on, you gotta have something you’re bottling up.” She brought herself closer to him, her face just inches from his. Her face softened, “I’ve...never talked to someone like that before. We hardly know each other, yet let me talk about something so serious. I’ve been holding back so many feelings, and even if you just listened, you helped lift a huge weight off my shoulders. So I want to do the same for you.”

The prince stared at her, unsure of what to say. He then chuckled and tapped her nose playfully with his finger, “Thank you, but someone like me doesn’t have anything complicated like that.” 

She frowned and pouted with puffy cheeks, “How is that possible? You’re the prince of the kingdom, surely you must have something pent up!”

But he only shook his head. He leaned back on his hands and looked up into the sky, “I never did anything that would result in such a thing. All I ever did was read my books and laze about. I didn’t push myself or strive for any big goals. I just...Did my own thing.” He chuckled to himself, but Pandora could hear the sadness behind his words.

“Do you regret not trying harder?” She asked quietly.

Grimm didn’t respond at first. Like he did for her, she sat silently and waited for his response as she followed his gaze up to the star filled sky.

“Maybe.” He said suddenly. She looked over from the corner of her eye and could have sworn a tear creep down his cheek. He drew a shaky breath before continuing, “Perhaps, if I make it back-”

“When.” Pandora corrected sternly.

He laughed, “ _When_ I make it back, maybe I’ll try a little harder. I...I want to take care of the people that live in this land. Having met so many of them outside the palace town, I see now how hard it is. How tense relations are and how difficult it is to survive. Maybe, just maybe, I can change that. Perhaps then I can make father proud of me…” He added the last part so softly, Pandora almost didn’t hear it. She wondered if she was meant to hear it at all.

She waited a moment to see if he had more to say. When he remained silent, she crawled onto her knees and hugged him from the side. He stiffened at her touch, then relaxed. She felt him place a hand on hers and squeezed it gently. She sat down and they both relaxed into each other’s embrace.

They both lost track of how long they stayed sitting together. Perhaps they had even fallen asleep, neither really knew. Eventually Christie walked over and brought them back to the waking world. It was time to switch shifts, Christie offering to cover for Pandora since they were switching late, and the girl had been awake sitting with Grimm.

The two sluggishly rose to their feet and stumbled back to the crude bedding. Whether they realised it or not in their half-awake state, they cuddled up beside each other and quickly fell asleep. For the first time in a long time, the two slept peacefully.

Eventually the sun began to rise over the horizon, its light peeking through the trees. The group took their time waking up and readying themselves. If they timed it right, they could reach Alvarez by the evening which would allow them to fight Dracula immediately. And so they cooked their morning meal and made extra for the trip. Once they were prepared, they made their way to the ebony castle in the distance.

They walked in relative silence, their bodies tense with anticipation. The final battle was within reach; soon this whole mess would be over, and they could return to their lives.

As the sun set once more, they found themselves standing before the towering castle. It’s inky bricks faintly reflected the moon’s sinister crimson glow. They hastily entered the castle. As long as they sun continued to peek above the treetops, they could make their way to the main room without incident. 

Grimm led them through the maze of corridors. He had noticed the castle’s structure mirrored that of the Light Palace and felt he could navigate easily. Thankfully his intuition had been correct. While not the same, the prince was able to judge the way to the throne room just by analysing the interior.

By the time the devilish moon hung high in the sky, the group stood before the grand doors that led to the main room. The prince swallowed hard and reached for the door handles. His hands remained on the dark brass, unmoving. 

Another hand reached from behind and laid on his. He turned to see Pandora by his side, followed by Christie and Little Red. All four placed their hands together, and after only a moment's hesitation, turned the handles and pushed the doors open. 

They slowly opened with a loud, ominous creek. As the doors moved, they revealed the large room behind them. It was a wide, open room. Pillars reached from the floor to ceiling with draping red tapestries hanging between each of them, their crimson colour ever more prominent in the moonlight. A large carpet covered the polished marble floor and led to the large throne at the end of the room. It sat silhouetted against the large window that perfectly framed the bloody moon.

Even against the harsh light, the party could make out the shape of a person sitting slumped in the ornate throne. As they drew closer, they could make out more of his features. His hair was a snow white and his skin just as pale to match. He wore a black coat and red undershirt, both decorated with complex gold trim. His arms bore black and gold metal gauntlets with matching boots reaching mid calf. He looked at them with eyes blood red eyes, his fangs peeking out between his lips as he smiled wickedly. 

“I see you finally made it.” He rose his arms mockingly as his grin broadened, “Welcome to my humble home.”

Grimm stepped forward, gritting his teeth, “Dracula! Your reign of tyranny ends tonight. As the prince of this kingdom, I will not allow you to harm my people any longer!”

At his demands, the vampire chuckled cruelly, “Is that so? You speak as if you can defeat me. A foolish assumption, for I am immortal.” He finished with a sinister hiss.

The prince did his best to hide his fear. He could hear his comrades prepare themselves for battle. He reached into his coat and pulled out his book and shouted out, “Prepare to meet your end, Dracula!”

“Very well,” the villain snickered as he rose to his feet, “come at me!”

And at that, the battle began. 

Little Red and Christie charged forward, being the front fighters of the group. The wolf girl brandished her claws and slashed at Dracula while the elf came in and cleaved at him from the other side. The vampire lept up with wings of shadow and floated above his two attackers. Grimm and Pandora took the opportunity to strike with their own magic. Grimm summoned Peter Pan and Tinkerbell along with siblings Hansel and Gretel. 

Peter and Tinkerbell flew up with blinding speed to try and catch Dracula off guard, but the vampire effortlessly dodged them while airborne. Hansel and Gretel used their magic and summoned a gust of strong wind to try and throw off his flight. Pandora assisted by enhancing their magic with light, the winds now causing some damage. 

Dracula released his flight and dropped to the ground with extended claws, aiming for the wolf girl. The attack was unexpected, but she was able to dodge last second nonetheless. Christie charged in from behind as the vampire landed, her blade only just missing him as he flipped up and behind her. He too attempted an attack, but Peter and Tinkerbell had been waiting and were able to land a powerful kick to his side. The impact sent him flying, his feet dragging on the ground to stop him from crashing into a pillar. 

The coordinated attack went as planned with Dracula now in line for attack from Grimm. He fired his prepared magic; a blinding stream of light shot forth and struck his target. Dracula defended himself with a dark barrier, but the light still managed to singe his exposed arms.

He was growing furious, and with a roar of anger charged for the two magic users. The elf, using her wind magic for a burst of speed, was able to intervene. She slashed out at him, and while it did not hit, he was forced to jump back. As he did so, Little Red ran up behind to strike. His balance was thrown off from dodging back from such great speeds and could nothing as wolfish claws scored down his back. He reeled forward with a cry of pain and turned to strike, only for Christie’s holy fire to crash into his side. He didn’t have time to react before Peter rode in on a powerful breeze summoned by the two fairy tale siblings. His boot hit the vampire square in the chest and he flew back, hitting his throne with a blast of debris.

The group stood, tense. They knew the battle was not over, but the dust from the shattered floor obscured their vision. 

A cough broke through as Dracula stumbled back out into the open. He may have been immortal, but the onslaught of attacks clearly did great damage.

Little Red turned to Grimm and Pandora, “It’s time! Use your powers like with Jeanne D’arc and seal him away!”

Grimm nodded, then looked to Pandora who looked more than ready. They both got into position with his hand hovering over his wilding flipping book while Pandora opened her box wide. Light spilled from both magical sources as the two summoned the power of all their will; all their hope. Their combined light grew until it outshone even the moon above. The room was filled with their light as loose fabric flew wildly in its power.

The prince and girl rose their hands and cried out in unison, “Dracula, begone from this world!”

The light spread outward before focusing around the vampire. He cried out as the light swirled around him like a tornado. The magic was hot and intense, so much so even the casters had a difficult time focusing through squinted eyes. But they were desperate to win, and in a final shout they summoned all that they had. The light grew more until Dracula was completely engulfed by the magic.

With a strong gust, the light burst outward and disappeared, leaving a weak Dracula to collapse to the ground. He tried to pick himself up, but his limbs would not carry him.

“No,” He spat, his voice hoarse with pain and anger, “how could I lose...to people like you!” He shouted and reached out, as if attempting to attack once more. But Grimm walked forward, unfazed by his attempts.

The prince stopped a few feet away and looked down with fiery eyes, “You’re finished, Dracula.”

The villain attempted to speak once more, but as his mouth opened to speak his skin began to fade and crack. His limbs stiffen and creaked as his eyes grew cold and lifeless. His body turned grey and rigid, then crumbled like old stone. 

And just like that, Dracula was defeated. Grimm stood over the remains, watching as stray pieces crumbled into the pile of ash below. 

He heard the cheers of Pandora and Christie behind him. They celebrated their victory, as he should have been doing as well. But, for some reason, he could not. He couldn’t place it, but something felt amiss. Perhaps he had imagined the battle to be more difficult. Somehow, he felt that wasn’t the entire reason. 

The two came from behind him with breathless smiles. Pandora grabbed his shoulders and grinned, “Come on Grimm, we won! Why the solemn face?”

“I...I’m not sure why, but, something feels wrong…” His brows creased and his body tensed. Something was happening.

Christie and Pandora both looked to each other, but it was the elf that spoke, “Grimm, I don’t understand. We did win, didn’t we?”

“Tee hee, indeed you did, no lie~”

The three whirled around to see Red Riding Hood standing a few paces behind them. While her appearance looked the same, something about her felt different.

Grimm clenched his teeth in anger, “This strange feeling...it’s your doing, isn’t it?”

The girl giggled again, unfazed by the growl in his voice. Instead her grin broadened, “That it is! To be honest, this had not been my plan from the start. In fact, I had honest and truly believed I fought alongside you. I had simply forgotten that I had other intentions,” Her smile twisted wickedly as her eyes widened, the pupils gleaming in the moonlight, “But now, thanks to you and Pandora’s surge of power, I remember my true self.”

Christie stepped forward and tightened her grip on her sword, “What exactly do you mean by that?”

The wolf girl laughed cruelly, “Oh, that’s not important now. All that matters is that I can continue my original plan, and that you,” she pointed to Grimm, “will be out of my way!”

Grimm flinched at her words then narrowed his eyes, “Just what do you mean by that?”

She responded with a playful wink, “Let’s just say, great power always comes with a great price. Now, sleep well and eternally, silly prince!” And with her final word, the strange girl in red turned and darted out the door.

Christie was the first to react and made to run after her, “Come on, we can’t let her get away!”

“Right!” Pandora started to chase her until she realised Grimm had not began to follow. She stopped and turned back, as did Christie. Pandora cautiously stepped forward as she noticed the prince’s stiffened composure, “Grimm...Are you alright?”

As she spoke, he could tell something was very wrong. She rushed forward and caught him as he fell, his book falling to the floor with a loud thud. Pandora looked down to see the pages glowing a purple-black. Panic filled her senses as she tried to bring Grimm up to eye level, “Grimm! Grimm, please, say something!”

“Pan...dora…” His voice was pained and forced. His body shook as he tried to straighten up. He clasped his hands on her shoulders to steady himself, but his legs faltered and he nearly fell again if not for Christie. 

She placed a steady hand on his chest in an attempt to stand him upright. The two girls looked to each other with confused terror. 

“Grimm, what’s happening to you?” Christie’s voice shook with fear.

“The grimoire...it...it’s,” The prince struggled to speak, but his voice sounded strained as if he were using a powerful spell.

“The grimoire? What about it, what’s it doing?” Pandora’s voice cracked with emotion, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. 

With great difficulty, Grimm looked up and faced Pandora. His expression was twisted in determination and pain. The girl realised now that his face, as well as his body, appeared to be fading away.

“The book...It must...Lumia,” His sister’s name came out as a sigh as collapsed onto her shoulder, his strength completely gone. 

“Grimm? Grimm!” The girl cried out his named with a shattered voice.

He spoke, his voice nothing but a whisper, “I’m sorry...but this is...the end for...me...” His voice trailed off as his body faded in a shimmer of magic. 

With his weight gone, Pandora stumbled forward into Christie’s arms. The girl was still and spoke softly, “Is he…” She couldn’t finish her sentence. Perhaps if she didn’t say it, it wouldn’t be true.

But Christie did not need her to finish to understand. The elf held Pandora tighter with tears creeping down her cheeks, “I...I don’t know…”

Suddenly the ground beneath them began to violently shake. Debris and dust rained down from the ceiling. The quake grew more intense as the window shook before shattering with a deafening crash. 

Christie quickly moved to shield Pandora, but the girl had already opened her box and formed a protective barrier. Her magic was weak after the battle, but it was enough to protect them from the falling glass.

The world eventually stilled once more. The two girls slowly untangled and observed the surrounding damage. Chunks of stone littered the shattered floor and a thick layer of dust coated the crimson carpet. They remained calm until their gaze turned to the outside. Protruding out of the forest were two great towers; one glowing with a strange white light, while the other was black as night.

“What...are those?” It was Christie that spoke, her words echoing Pandora’s own thoughts. 

“Those are the towers of hope and despair, brought about by the surge of Will.” A new, raspy and cruel voice had answered their question.

The girls twisted around to see a grotesque man with loose clothing, stringy black hair, and pupiless eyes.

Pandora gripped her box tightly in an attempt to calm her nerves, “Who are you?”

Again the strange man spoke with a chilling voice, “I am Abdul Alhazred, the dark priest and bringer of despair. I was awaiting a surge of such powerful will, and for the fall of the hopeful prince.” He smiled, his lips cracking at the motion as if done for the first time, “I am glad Dracula was not a wasted effort. But now, it is my turn.”

Before the girls could question further a gust of hot air rushed in through the broken window behind them. They turned frantically to see the body of a large, red dragon. Such a creature had not been seen within human memory, it’s menacing form instilling fear even before it unleashed a mighty roar.

“And now, my dear,” Abdul continued while gesturing to Pandora, “you are to come with me. Your power will be of use, and I cannot allow you to roam freely.”

Both Christie and Pandora were too paralyzed with fear to object. 

In only mere moments, the throne room fell silent, for no one remained. Not until a new person appeared.

The newcomer entered through the shattered window, having impossibly flown in from such a great height. She slowly walked over the shattered glass and looked around. 

The girl brought a hand to her mouth solemnly, “I’m too late…”

Her gaze scanned the room, hoping to find anything of use. Buried beneath the shattered glass she could see what appeared to be a book. Careful not to cut her delicate hands she picked up the tattered grimoire and examined it. She then sighed with a small smile and teary eyes, “So there is still some hope left.”

She quickly wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and turned the face the window with determination, “Don’t you worry Grimm, I’ll make sure you get to Lumia!”

With her declaration, the mysterious girl lept from the castle and into the crimson night sky. Her destination; the Light Palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to add a bit more to Grimm and Pandora's relationship, but I'm trying not to make things too long so it was still a tad rushed. They do meet near the end of Grimm's journey though so there wasn't much I could do to avoid that. Made very minor changes for the sake of flow, but the base of the story remains the same. 
> 
> I'm working on this in my spare time so I'm not sure when I'll post for TAT, but hey, if I get enough kudos maybe I'll be inspired to work on it sooner than later!


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